Shipping container



Aug. 15, 1967 3 P. F. BOEYE 3,336,043

SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 5, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi 1 0 1 96 Y ssD J O irl| 77 77 s7 /68 66 as 68/ 67 I v JEIL c m PAUL E BOEYE ATTORNEYSAug. 15, 1967 P. F. BOEYE 3,336,043

' SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 5, 1966 4 sheets-sheet 4 5 F|G.6 7 65 BINVENTOR.

l I BY PAUL F. BOEYE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,336,043 SHIPPINGCONTAINER Paul F. Boeye, Minneapolis, Minn. (Rte. 1, Box 588, Mound,Minn. 55364) Filed Jan. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 518,420 10 Claims. (Cl.280-79.1)

The herein disclosed invention relates to shipping containers and hasfor an object to provide a container in which packaged goods may beplaced and which can be handled without the use of the transfer truckusually employed at railway stations or which can be directly loaded onfreight trucks and shipped with the goods.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a shippingcontainer which can be knocked down and collapsed into a compact bundleand returned to the shipper for further use.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing thecontainer with a hand truck which can be wheeled about and on which ismounted a collapsible body which can be knocked down and supported onthe truck.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the truck with aplatform and with wheels at the corners of the platform.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the truck withsupports disposed on each side of the platform and between the wheels onthe sides of the platform to leave a clear space therebetween.

A still further object of the invention resides in making the supportsof such a height that the wheels clear the floor when the truck rests onthe supports.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the body with a wallstructure formed of corrugated board in three sections, and scored todivide the sections into panels, which when the board is folded fit inthe space between the wheels and supports of the truck.

Another object of the invention resides in attaching vertical cleats tothe board and having ends projecting above and below the upper and loweredges of the wall structure.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a top for the body andin providing means forming sockets for the reception of the ends of thecleats in both the top and platform of the truck.

An object of the invention resides in providing anchoring means forholding the lower ends of the cleats in the sockets of the platform andin providing attaching means for securing the upper ends of the cleatsto the top of the body.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel cornbination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinillustrated and/ or described.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a shipping container illustratingan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is rear elevational view of the shipping container.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the shipping container viewed fromeither end.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the shipping container.

FIG. 5 is an inverted view of the shipping container.

FIG. 6 is asectional plan view of the shipping container taken on line6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on line 7-7 ofFIG. 3 and drawn to a greater "Ice FIG. 10 is a plan sectional view ofthe structure shown in FIG. 9 and taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 7 taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the truck inverted and thesections of the wall structure collapsed and folded and disposed in thespace between the wheels.

FIG. 13 is a sectional View similar to FIG. 9 taken on line 13-13 ofFIG. 6.

In the customary manner of handling a multiplicity of packages forshipment by rail, the packages are picked up by a hand truck in thefactory or warehouse where the goods are disposed and brought to amotor-driven delivery truck and packed in the same. The goods are thendelivered to the railway station and individually transferred from thedelivery truck to the manually operated transfer truck in the railwaystation. The goods are again individually transferred from the transfertruck to the railway car, thus requiring handling twice before the goodsare in the car. With applicants invention the goods are placed in theshipping container which is delivered to the railway station, loaded onthe railway car and shipped, thus avoiding the two extra handlingsrequired by the present method.

The invention comprises a truck A and a collapsible knock down body Bdetachably mounted on said truck. These parts will now be described indetail.

The truck A comprises a platform 10 constructed with a floor 14 of heavyplywood and which is supported in a frame 15. This frame is constructedwith a number of angle members 16, 17 and 18 and 19 mitered at theircorners and welded together. These angle members have horizontal flanges21 and vertical flanges 22 extending upwardly therefrom. Between theflanges 21 of the angle members 18 and 19 are flat bars 23 and 24 whichare welded to said flanges. The floor 14 Tests on the flanges 21 and thebars 23 and 2-4 and extends up to the flanges 22.

At the corners of the platform 14 are wheels 25, 26, 27 and 28 which aremounted in frames 33 which are U-shaped in form having legs 35 withconnecting portions 29 therebetween. These connecting portions arewelded to the flanges 21 of the angle members 16 and 17. The wheels 25,26, 27 and 28 are rotatably mounted on pintles 31 which extend throughthe legs 32 of the frames 33.

Between the wheels 25 and 28 is a support 34 and between the wheels 26and 27 is a support 35. These supports are constructed from rectangulartubular metal and are U-shaped in form having legs 36 with a connectingportion 37 therebetween. The legs 26 are welded to the flanges 21 ofangle members 16 and 17. The wheels 25 and 26 are in axial alignment andlikewise the wheels 27 and 28. Wheels 25 and 28 track with one anotherand likewise wheels 26 and 27. The support 34 is in alignment withwheels 26 and 27 and similarly support 35 is in alignment with wheels 25and 28, thus leaving a space 20 between the two sets of wheels andsupports.

The body B utilizes platform 10 as a bottom and has a wall structure 40resting thereon. Overlying the wall structure 40 is a top 80.

The wall structure 40 is constructed from corrugated board which isdivided in three sections 41, 42 and 43. The section 42 is identicalwith section 41 except that the same is of the opposite hand as comparedto section 41. The same reference numerals will hence be used todesignate corresponding parts and the description will not be repeated.

The section 41 has a number of vertical scores 44, 45, 46 and 47 whichdivide the section into panels 51, 52, 53 and 54 and a corner portion 59between scores 45 and 46.

The section 43 has three scores 56, 57 and 58 which divide said sectioninto panels 61, 62 and 63 and a corner portion 64 between the scores 57and 58.

Adjacent the ends of the section 41 are provided vertically extendingcleats 65 and 66. On the panel 53 there are provided two additionalcleats 67 and 68, the cleat 68 being disposed adjacent the score 47 andthe cleat 67 being disposed a short distance from the score 45. Inaddition, two more cleats 7-1 and 72 are attached to the panel 52 andare located the same distance from the scores 44 and 45, as the cleat 67is positioned from score 45.

On the panels 61 and 63 of section 43 are provided cleats 73 and 74which extend close up to the ends of the said section. In addition, twomore cleats 75 and 76 are provided intermediate to the cleats 73 and 74,the cleat 76 being adjacent the score 57. All of the cleats haveextensions 77 extending above the sections 41, 42 and 43 of the wallstructure. Similar extensions 78 extend below the lower edges of thesesections, the extensions 77 and 78 being best shown in FIGURES 7, 8, 9and 13. The extensions 78 are received in sockets 79 in the floor 14 ofthe truck A.

Overlying the upper end of the wall structure 40 is a top 80. This topis constructed from corrugated board the same as the wall structure 40and is formed with flanges 81 and 82 which are folded back upon theunderside of the top proper, mitered at the corners and glued to thetop. In the corner 83 formed between the top 80 and the flanges 81 areWire rods 89 having ends 84 bent outwardly from said rods at rightangles thereto and extending into the corresponding corners formed bysaid flanges 82 and the top. The extensions 77 of the various cleats arereceived in sockets formed by U-shaped wire confines 85 and 86. Theseconfines are located opposite the various cleats and the legs 89 of thesame extended into the space between the flanges 82 and the top 80.Extending along the marginal portion of the top 80 from which theflanges 82 are turned, are cleats 87 which are glued to said top. Theconfines 85 and 86 have turned-up portions 88, FIG. 11, which extendinto the cleats 87 and anchor said confines to the top.

The anchoring means for the wall structure at the platform C as shown inFIG. 13 consists of hooks 191 which have shanks 192 screwed to thecleats 71 and 72. These hooks are adapted to be hooked into openings 193formed at the flange 22 of channels 18 and 19, when the folded structureis set at an angle as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 13. Other anchoringmeans for the panels 51, 53 and 54 of sections 41 and 42 consist ofshanks 92 having fingers 91 projecting outwardly, said shanks beingscrewed to the lower ends of the cleats 65 and 66. These fingers areadapted to enter openings 93 formed in the flanges 22 of the anglemembers 16 and 17 of frame 15. When the sections 51, 53 and 54 are movedinto erect position the extensions 78 of cleats 67 and 68 drop into thesockets 79 and the fingers 93 on shanks 92 secured to cleats 73 and 74are urged into their corresponding sockets against the action of springs94, which engage the cleats and urge the same outwardly to bring thefingers 91 into the openings 93. A similar construction is utilized withthe cleats 66, 73 and 74. Where sections adjoin each other, the cleatsare disposed adjacent one another, and the openings 93 are wide enoughto receive the fingers on both of the adjoining cleats. The adjoiningcleats may also be secured together intermediate their upper and lowerends by means of a hasp, or other type of latching device indicated at95.

For holding the top 80 in position with the ends 77 of the cleatsreceived in the confines 85 and 86, a number of spring catches 96 areemployed best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. These spring catches have shanks97 secured to the various cleats. Indentations 98 are formed at the freeends of said catches and which are adapted to receive portions of theconfines 85 and 86. Cams 99 on the outer ends of said catches guide theconfines and 86 into the indentations 98 which hold the same in place.The catches 96 at the panels 52 engage the wires forming the saidconfines and also the rods 83 in the folds between the flaps 81 and thetop 80. For this purpose a portion of the top 80 is cut away asindicated at 69 in FIGURE 4.

The method of using the invention is as follows:

A dolly, not shown, is employed in moving the shipping container about.A dolly found most desirable is one in which the end of the containermay be raised by inserting the dolly under it, with the handle up, andthen moving the handle downward. When such a dolly is employed thewheels at the opposite end of the container are brought into engagementwith the floor and the supports disengaged from the floor. The shippingcontainer may then be wheeled about and placed wherever desired. Inloading the shipping container, the top 80 is removed. The section 43which serves :as a door is next removed by disengaging the latches andforcing the fingers 91 inwardly against the action of the springs 94.When the said fingers clear the flange 22, the section 43 may be raisedand removed from the sections 41 and 42 and the floor 14. The whole sideof the shipping container is now open and may be loaded with themerchandise to be shipped. Merchandise previously packed in cartons orboxes may be piled, one upon the other to fill the container as indicateat 100 in FIGS. 2 and 6. When the container is filled, the section 43 isagain applied and similarly, the top 80, to close the container. Thedolly is then again employed and the container wheeled about.

For the purpose of returning the shipping container to the shipper, thecontainer is knocked down by removing the top 80 and likewise thesections 41, 42 and 43 of the wall structure 40. The platform of thetruck is then flat and clear with no projections extending outwardlytherefrom. The truck is then inverted and the various sections foldedalong the score lines in the same. The score lines are so disposed thatall of the sections are of a width less than the distance between thealigning wheels which provides the space 20 therebetween. The foldedstructures are then placed within the space 20 and stacked one upon theother as shown in FIGURE 12. It will be noted that the height of thecontainer is substantially equal to its length, so that a compactpackage of the knocked down structure is procured.

The double scores 44, 45, 46 and 47 provide panels 59 forming thecorners of the body B. The double folds also permit of folding thepanels so that the various sections lie parallel to one another. Aftersections 41, 42 and 43 have been placed upon the bottom of the floor 18,the top 80 is placed on the uppermost of these sections and straps notshown placed about the assembled structure. The assembled structure isthen ready to be shipped back to the shipper.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The shipping container,with the contents therein, is loaded but once, shipped to destinationand unloaded. The container may then be knocked down and returned to thesender for further shipment. The loaded container may be transporteddirectly from the motor driven truck delivering it to the railwaystation, and into the railway car, and hence there is no loading of theindividual parcels to the transfer truck at the railway station, andunloading them at the railway car, and again loading them in thedelivery truck. The shipping container can be constructed of inexpensivematerial so as to reduce the cost of returning the same to the sender.Thus, economy in the transportation of various types of goods results inthe use of the invention.

Changes in the specific form of the invention as herein described may bemade within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

detachably mounted thereon, said truck having (a) an elongated platform,(b) laterally spaced wheels mounted at the ends of the platform, 5 (a)an elongated platform (c) supporting means on the platform disposedinterb) laterally spaced wheels at the corners of the platmediate thewheels at the ends of the platform, form, (d) said supports having astraight longitudinal surface (c) supports on each side of the platform,laterally adapted to rest on the floor, spaced from one another anddisposed intermediate (c) said wheels being free from the floor when thesupthe wheels on each side of the platform,

ports rest on the floor and when the wheels at one (d) said supportshaving a straight longitudinal surend of the truck are suflicientlyraised the wheels at face adapted to rest on the floor, the other end ofthe truck engage the floor and the (e) said wheels being free from thefloor, when the supports are free from the floor, supports rest of thefloor and when the wheels at (f) said body comprising a wall structureand a top, one end of the truck are sufiiciently raised the wheels (g)said wall structure being formed in sections,

(h) each section being formed with panels hingedly connected togetheralong vertical lines,

(i) each section when folded being of a width conforming to the width ofthe truck,

(j) anchoring means for detachably securing the wall structure to theplatform and (k) attaching means for detachably securing the top to thewall structure.

2. A shipping container according to claim 1 in which the sections ofthe Wall structure which:

(a) the platform is constructed with aframe having (b) angle membersformed with (c) a horizontal flange and (d) an upwardly extendingvertical flange (e) a platform resting on the horizontal flange of saidframe and having (f) holes therein forming sockets for the ends of saidcleats and which rest on the lower flange of said frame.

4. A shipping container in accordance with claim 3 in (b) catchessecured to the upper ends of some of the cleats adapted to engage theloops to hold the top in place.

6. A hand truck comprising at the other end of the truck engage thefloor and the supports are free from the floor. 7. A truck according toclaim 6 in which the supports are constructed with:

(a) legs depending from said platform and (b) floor engaging members atthe lower ends of the said legs and connected thereto.

8. A truck according to claim 6 in which:

(a) the supports are U-shaped in form and each having (b) a pair ofspaced legs with an elongated ground engaging portion therebetween.

9. A truck according to claim 6 which (a) the supports are disposedsubstantially in alignment with the wheels on each side of the truck toleave a clear space below said platform and between the wheels andsupports on each side of said truck.

10. A shipping container in accordance with claim 1 in which (a) thewheels at each end of the truck are laterally spaced from one another,

(b) the supporting means consists of two supports laterally spaced fromone another,

(0) the supports are disposed on opposite sides of the truck inalignment with the wheels on each side of the truck to provide a clearspace between the wheels and supports on each side of the truckextending throughout the length of the truck and (d) the sections whenfolded being of a width less than the distance between the wheels andsupports on the two sides of the truck to fit into said space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS which: 387,327 8/1888 Taicher 2(a) the anchoring means utilizes slots formed in the 3232?? 2x31; gfiggi"5 3 '2 vertical flanges of said frame, and (b) hooks attached to someof said cleats at the lower g gg; Branmng et 28 :2

ends thereof and adapted to hook into said slots. 5 19 6 Kappen 1 5. Ashipping container in accordance with claim 3 in 9 3/ 6 Craswen 28which:

(a) the attaching means has wire loops extending outwardly from the topof the container and forming the sockets for the upper ends of thecleats and BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner. CHARLES C. PARSONS,Assistant Examiner.

6. A HAND TRUCK COMPRISING (A) AN ELONGATED PLATFORM (B) LATERALLY SPACED WHEELS AT THE CORNERS OF THE PLATFORM, (C) SUPPORTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE PLATFORM, LATERALLY SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE THE WHEELS ON EACH SIDE OF THE PLATFORM, (D) SAID SUPPORTS HAVING A STRAIGHT LONGITUDINAL SURFACE ADAPTED TO REST ON THE FLOOR, 